


Promises to Keep

by obscureenthusiast



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: F/F, Kimara escapes from prison, One Shot, past relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 04:57:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15307986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obscureenthusiast/pseuds/obscureenthusiast
Summary: Kira is surprised by Kimara's sudden arrival, but she can't let this chance slip through her fingers.





	Promises to Keep

**Author's Note:**

> So excited to be apart of sapphicstartrek's fanwork exchange!! :D This is for monsterfisken (http://monsterfisken.tumblr.com), I hope you all like it!!

Kira was standing on the upper level of the promenade when one of the figures below caught her eye. By all means, she should have been just a face in a crowd, but… _something_ stopped Kira’s gaze and kept her attention for more than the brief momentary glance that should have been.

Maybe the Prophets wanted Kira to see her.

The woman was standing off to the side of one of the main airlock entrances, a hood drawn up over her head, obscuring her features somewhat. She had just disembarked with a number of other people from one of the passenger freighters, but had stopped to look around the station.

The hood slipped back a bit, and Kira could see there was something wistful in the woman’s expression as she brushed some of her hair back behind a pointed ear.

_A Vulcan with long hair_? Kira wondered, even as another part of her asked why she was still staring at this stranger.

As the hood slipped back further, Kira’s breath caught at the sight of forehead ridges. 

_A Romulan_.

And Kira was already moving to the nearest access to the lower level, her feet carrying her as quickly as possible down to the main airlocks because suddenly she _knew_ why the woman had caught her eye. 

Or she _hoped_ she knew.

It took Kira a moment to spot the woman again, walking away in the direction of the Replimat, when she reached the lower level, but she hardly missed a step in her rush. Her heart was pounding, her throat tight with nervous excitement and the lingering fear that she was wrong.

The woman turned around as Kira approached, probably because of the sound of her quick footfalls on the metal walkway, and for a terrifying instant Kira wanted to look away. To never know if she was right or wrong, to always have this hope and to cling to it. Just in case she was wrong. Just in case she was setting herself up for disappointment.

But the moment the familiar eyes met hers, Kira felt a wave of disbelief and joy and regret all crashing in on her at once, forcing a smile onto her face even as tears gathered, stinging in her eyes.

“Kimara…” Kira breathed, her hands reaching out to grab ahold of the other woman, as if she could prove to herself that she was real with a touch.

Kimara gripped onto Kira’s offered hands with both of her own, “Nerys.” Her voice was rough with grief or disuse or possibly both.

Kira swallowed, blinking rapidly as tears threatened to fall, “What happened to you?” 

This question was directed at the healing bruising and cuts that marred Kimara’s face, neck, even her hands, alongside older scars that hadn’t yet begun to fade. Kira reached a hand up to brush Kimara’s cheek gently, her eyebrows furrowing in worry.

And Kimara looked away, staring at the floor.

“I must look like a mess,” she said, laughing bitterly, her hands squeezing Kira’s ever-so-slightly tighter, “Suffice it to say I… got out. They had me locked in a prison camp. I think they wanted to make an example of me or…” she took a deep breath, clearing her throat slightly (and Kira could hear a little bit of the old Kimara, the senator she had known), “In any case, if I want to stay out, I need help.” 

When Kimara looked up from the floor to meet Kira’s eyes again, her face was a mask.

“I know the Federation wants nothing to do with my people, but…” she raised her eyebrows, “if there is _any_ chance that I could be given asylum. That I could be given a second chance, I will take it. I’ll take anything.”

“I’m not going to let anyone send you back to a Romulan prison, Kimara,” Kira said, then tugged on Kimara’s hands a little and began to lead her back toward the lift that would lead to the bridge, “We should talk to the captain.”

She knew she shouldn’t make promises like the one she had just made. It was dangerous. A promise like that could lead to any number of complications.

And right now, Kira didn’t care one damn bit.

As the turbolift doors closed on them, still hand-in-hand, Kimara leaned in close.

“Thank you, Nerys,” she whispered.

Kira smiled slightly, “Don’t thank me yet. We don’t know what can be done, if anything.”

Kimara shook her head, “That’s not what I meant,” she said. 

When Kira frowned a little and turned her head to look at the Romulan, Kimara was staring into empty space, her eyes far away.

“You gave me hope. When I was in prison, I thought about you,” Kimara finally said, her tone soft, “About _us_. The time we had together and… I promised myself that even if it killed me, I would see you again.”

Kira squeezed Kimara’s hand and surprised herself as she leaned down and kissed Kimara gently.

And for a moment it was just the two of them again. Like it had been before. Somehow, kissing Kimara had always made the universe feel quiet, no matter what disasters plagued the world around them.

Kimara broke the kiss, but didn’t back away, her ridged forehead resting against Kira’s as they stood for a moment together. Breathing in time. Eyes closed against the overwhelming reality of their situation for a mere second before the lift doors opened and Kira stood up straight again. 

Their entwined hands squeezed one another comfortingly before they stepped out of the lift to face what the future held.


End file.
